Nick Frichette
Within the sprawling Horus Heresy series, certain generalizations have been made. Chief among them: Dan Abnett is one of the Black Library’s finest storytellers. Legion is a testament to that reputation.
Unlike its predecessors, Legion departs from the grand theater of war lead by the Astartes to deliver something far more intricate—a taut, cerebral spy thriller teeming with subterfuge, shifting allegiances, and shadowy manipulations. In many ways, it is the perfect introduction to the Alpha Legion, the most enigmatic of the Emperor’s Space Marines.
Abnett’s prose is razor-sharp, his pacing relentless. The novel's ensemble cast crackles with wit and depth, each player thrust into a labyrinth of deception where every move is a gamble. It is a narrative of secrets within secrets, where nothing is as it seems—a fitting mirror to the Legion it portrays.
For those seeking the Horus Heresy's central storyline, Legion may feel like a diversion; it does not directly propel the core arc forward. Yet to bypass it would be to miss one of the series' most compelling and thought-provoking installments. This is Abnett at his finest—gripping, intelligent, and impossible to put down.
Within the sprawling Horus Heresy series, certain generalizations have been made. Chief among them: Dan Abnett is one of the Black Library’s finest storytellers. Legion is a testament to that reputation.
Unlike its predecessors, Legion departs from the grand theater of war lead by the Astartes to deliver something far more intricate—a taut, cerebral spy thriller teeming with subterfuge, shifting allegiances, and shadowy manipulations. In many ways, it is the perfect introduction to the Alpha Legion, the most enigmatic of the Emperor’s Space Marines.
Abnett’s prose is razor-sharp, his pacing relentless. The novel's ensemble cast crackles with wit and depth, each player thrust into a labyrinth of deception where every move is a gamble. It is a narrative of secrets within secrets, where nothing is as it seems—a fitting mirror to the Legion it portrays.
For those seeking the Horus Heresy's central storyline, Legion may feel like a diversion; it does not directly propel the core arc forward. Yet to bypass it would be to miss one of the series' most compelling and thought-provoking installments. This is Abnett at his finest—gripping, intelligent, and impossible to put down.
Added to listOwnedwith 7 books.
Not quite as compelling as the previous 4 in the series, but it does set the stage for the rest of the heresy.
Not quite as compelling as the previous 4 in the series, but it does set the stage for the rest of the heresy.
Following up the initial trilogy of the series was always going to be a challenge, but James Swallow did it masterfully. Tense, action packed, and exhilarating, James told the story of Nathaniel Garro and the Eistensteins dramatic escape from Istvan III. I really enjoyed it!
Following up the initial trilogy of the series was always going to be a challenge, but James Swallow did it masterfully. Tense, action packed, and exhilarating, James told the story of Nathaniel Garro and the Eistensteins dramatic escape from Istvan III. I really enjoyed it!
Finished! It's a a real thrill ride, maybe my favorite of the Heresy series so far.
I have to say though, I'm a little disappointed. Horus' betrayal seemed to come out of nowhere in the last book, and it's even more confusing here. Why would so many Space Marines join him? How did they spread this message enough for people to join, but not so far that it didn't get discovered early?
Finished! It's a a real thrill ride, maybe my favorite of the Heresy series so far.
I have to say though, I'm a little disappointed. Horus' betrayal seemed to come out of nowhere in the last book, and it's even more confusing here. Why would so many Space Marines join him? How did they spread this message enough for people to join, but not so far that it didn't get discovered early?
Not quite as good as the first novel in the series but was still a gripping thrill ride. The end especially lived up to the "grimdark future".
Not quite as good as the first novel in the series but was still a gripping thrill ride. The end especially lived up to the "grimdark future".
Descent of Angels is, in a lot of ways, the first divergence of the Horus Heresy series. While the first four books are a part of the core inciting incident of the Heresy, the fifth is a look inside the mind of one of the key players, the sixth is an entirely different type of story.
In book 6 we are placed into the shoes of a lowly recruit for The Order, which will one day become the Dark Angels we know and love. This book covers their backstory and introduction to the Imperium. If you are a die hard Dark Angels fan, you may enjoy it. If you are not, you probably won’t.
in my experience the first 50% was an absolute slog. The pacing was slow, the plot didn’t really go anywhere. Around the 50% mark, the story picked up with some intrigue, combat, and resolution (although, to be blunt, there is clearly a sequel coming with that ending).
it’s hard to recommend this to readers interested in the Dark Angels because you could just as easily skim the wiki page and learn everything you need to know. There is no additional depth gained from reading a few hundred pages about it.
If you’re trying to read the “core” plot of the Horus Heresy, skip this one.
Descent of Angels is, in a lot of ways, the first divergence of the Horus Heresy series. While the first four books are a part of the core inciting incident of the Heresy, the fifth is a look inside the mind of one of the key players, the sixth is an entirely different type of story.
In book 6 we are placed into the shoes of a lowly recruit for The Order, which will one day become the Dark Angels we know and love. This book covers their backstory and introduction to the Imperium. If you are a die hard Dark Angels fan, you may enjoy it. If you are not, you probably won’t.
in my experience the first 50% was an absolute slog. The pacing was slow, the plot didn’t really go anywhere. Around the 50% mark, the story picked up with some intrigue, combat, and resolution (although, to be blunt, there is clearly a sequel coming with that ending).
it’s hard to recommend this to readers interested in the Dark Angels because you could just as easily skim the wiki page and learn everything you need to know. There is no additional depth gained from reading a few hundred pages about it.
If you’re trying to read the “core” plot of the Horus Heresy, skip this one.